Hamilton Pocket Watch – Class and Prestige

The Hamilton Watch Company was established in 1892 by Charles Rood and Harry Cain. These two men actually bought out the older Adams & Perry Watch Manufacturing Company to form Hamilton.

During this era, raillroading was spreading from coast ot coast and throughout America heralding the industrial revolution in this country. Most railroaders carried the famous Hamilton Pocket Watch with them because of its accuracy and dependability.

The Hamilton was a working man’s watch. It was not inexpensive, but it had a class and prestige of its own. As the years passed and its influence grew, the Hamilton Watch Company began adding intricate carvings to their pocket watches. This move made these watches even more sought after; in fact, some people mentioned their Hamilton Pocket Watch in their wills. They would leave their favorite watch to a favorite son or nephew, but rarely to a daughter or neice. The pocket watch was considered a man’s watch and not delicate enough for a woman.

Hamilton Pocket Watches continued to be made in the United States up into the 1950′s, but by then pocket watches had gone out of vogue with the American public. During the booming growth following World War II, people were more interested in style and looks, and they liked the convenience and ease of use of wrist watches. American watch makers started to cut corners to compete with each other and began importing Swiss works to put in their pocket watches which were not selling as good as wrist watches.

From the early 1920′s until the 1950′s the Hamilton Watch Company was a well known and highly respected name in watchmaking because of their style, design, and use of precious metals like gold in their watches. In 1969, the last Hamilton Pocket Watch was made, and by then even Hamilton was using Swiss works in its pocket watches.